the days of my life

第82部分 (第2/7頁)

　he　was　practically　blind；　but　still　in　the　old　firm　handwriting。　Three　months　later　to　the　day　he　died；　and　I　received　the　following　telegram；　dated　21st　August：

With　deepest　sorrow　I　have　to　announce　the　General　laid　down　his　sword　at　10。15　last　night。　Pray　for　us。

Bramwell　Booth。

So　William　Booth　passed　away。　If　there　is　any　regard　elsewhere　for　the　deeds　of　good　men；　his　should　be　great。　Here　on　earth　he　has　built　himself　a　monument　of　thousands　of　regenerated　hearts。　Why；　I　wonder；　was　burial　in　Westminster　Abbey　not　offered　for　his　remains？　I　suppose　the　answer　is　—　because　he　did　not　belong　to　the　Church　of　England。　Yet　if　the　Abbey　can　open　its　ancient　doors　to　those　who　amused　many　of　the　people　—　eminent　actors；　for　instance　—　it　seems　hard　that　these　should　be　closed　to　one　who　saved　so　many　of　the　people；　and　in　all　lands。

The　book　“Regeneration”　was　extremely　well　reviewed　by　scores　of　papers；　both　here　and　in　other　countries；　especially　in　America；　thus　I　remember　The　Times　gave　it　a　leading　article。　I　only　saw　two　indifferent　notices　of　it　—　in　Church　of　England　journals　—　and　these　were　aimed　more　at　the　Salvation　Army　than　at　the　work　itself。

In　my　time　I　have　done　one　or　two　little　pieces　of　writing　for　somewhat　similar　objects。　Thus　many　years　ago　I　was　responsible　for　a　pamphlet　called　“Church　and　State；”　which　I　posed　in　defence　of　the　Established　Church　of　Wales　that　was　then；　as　now；　threatened　with　disendowment。　This　was　undertaken　at　the　request　of　the　late　Edward　Benson；　Archbishop　of　Canterbury；　who　wrote　to　me　at　some　length　in　August　1894；　giving　me　the　various　points　on　which　he　thought　stress　should　be　laid。

The　pamphlet　was　written　in　due　course　and　approved　of　by　the　Archbishop；　who　wrote　to　me　i